2K9 Trade Drawer, aka The "Wright" Stuff

You may recall that, way back in the mid-eighties, when many of us were either in diapers or elementary school (hopefully not both), or just a gleam in our parents' eye, a ground-breaking rhymic sensation that called themselves New Kids On The Block ("NKOTB" - you may recall all the "I heart NKOTB" buttons; that was back when it was normal to wear buttons outside of TGI Fridays) released a smash hit called "You Got It (The Wright Stuff)." 

It was misspelled on their album cover, unfortunately - obscuring the fact that the classic anthem was actually about potential trade prospects for the Blazers prior to the '09 trading deadline.  We should've known.

Flash forward to the present.  Now, the official NKOTB website has an announcement: "We're back." 

All this time, the world has been waiting.  And, it just so happens the best two available young players to provide some depth and rebounding at the SF/PF spots are Julian Wright and Brandan Wright.

Coincidence?  No.  NKOTB foresaw more than the future of pop... they foresaw that Channing Frye, Travis Outlaw, and Ike Diagu would not be the longterm answer for a young dynasty developing in PDX.

Hollinger had this to say today about Julian Wright, the young Hornets SF who looked great last year in limited minutes but can't seem to crack Byron Scott's rotation at all this season. 

In looking at the non-Lakers contenders in the West, one important question is: Which teams have the pieces in place to make further upgrades to their rosters? With that in mind, here's a name to file away: Julian Wright. 

Wright is a talented forward for the Hornets who can handle the ball, defend, rebound and score in transition. He's also not playing. The Hornets are big on floor spacing so that Chris Paul has plenty of room for his pick-and-roll magic, and Wright can't shoot. He's also had some difficulty remembering assignments, according to recent comments by coach Byron Scott, and that might also be affecting his playing time.

Either way, it makes him an interesting commodity as we head toward the trade deadline. The Hornets don't have large expiring contracts or other enticements to put into a deal for some much-needed frontcourt help -- if they do anything, it's with Wright as the bait. I wouldn't expect New Orleans to surrender him cheaply, but if the Hornets make any deals, he almost has to be the centerpiece.

Meanwhile, Brother Brandan (listed as a SF for some reason but really a pure PF) has been mired on the bench for much of the season in Golden State, and when he has played his PER has been through the roof at almost 20.  He has also been mentioned (more directly) by the media as being on the market.

Which guy would you be interested in, if either?  Would another "prospect" with "potential" be one (or two, or four) too many? 

Here's a potential deal: Channing Frye (maybe plus the rights to the Finn) for Julian plus filler.

Here's another: Travis Outlaw (though they might be more interested in Sergio) for Brandan plus filler.